| Author | Message | ||
     Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 1000 Registered: 05-2003 |
My tech mounted my highlift jack to my front bumper yesterday. I know this is not your favorite mounting spot, but I've got to keep it low in order to get it off and on by myself. It would be too heavy for me up on the roof rack. As you will see, I need to address the visibility issues so that others can see the increased boundaries of my truck and so that I adequately judge the boundaries while I'm driving. I want to cover all the bases for daylight and nightime. Night vision I need to make sure that I take into consideration both being powered up or powered down and totally dark. I've got plenty of colored reflective tape and also duck tape. The tongue of the jack had to be mounted outward because of the hood. Sorry to post so many pics, but as you will see this needs to be addressed and it was hard to get pics that would cover all angles so you can see the visibility weaknesses. I would much prefer to take care of this before I run into trouble on the trail. Thanks in advance, Jamie p.s. I have no clue how I will make this look girly. All humor aside, since yesterday I have been wishing that Craig/Koby liked me, so I could get his opinon on what would look the worst (goofiest). That way I could skip right to the end and not have to take on the challenge of this decorating task. I say this with total kindness - I have begun to rely heavily on Craig/Koby's opinion - if he doesn't like it, then I have succeeded in making it look girly. Decorating this might be impossible.        | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1670 Registered: 02-2003 |
you've spoiled the classy look of the truck. why not bolt it down to the floor behind the seat? why drive around with it at all times? | ||
| Leo (Leo_hallak) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Leo_hallak Post Number: 200 Registered: 02-2003 |
Its fine, drive it get used to it. btw: you are only leaving this mounted for wheeling right? -leo | ||
| Jay Reeves (Jay) Member Username: Jay Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jamie, first, congrats on your 1K post. Personally, I see no problem with the mount. I've had my HLJ mounted exactly this way for a few months and it hasn't been any trouble. Sure it may cut down on vis a bit from the drives seat, but it's never been enough that I felt it hindered my negotiating a trail. As far as other people being aware of it increasing the boundries of your vehicle (I guess you mean them walking into it), I don't feel there's anything that can cause harm, unless they're a running, blithering idiot. The HLJ tounge sticks out a bit, but not enough to be caught unless you're hugging the bumber as you walk by, and it's not sharp enough to hurt if you're just walking. Having it down there also helps keep the CG down lower - with the steel roof, roof rack, and other stuff up there, I think this is important. I've seen several others with it mounted there. Hmm, how to make it "girly"? How about painting the entire jack hot pink - that would certainly solve your concern with others seeing it from outside the vehicle. ;) Besides, you really have fun answering a passerby's question as to what it is - "it's a pedestrian hook"! | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 1004 Registered: 05-2003 |
Rob, My truck never looked classy  Bill already has my floor reserved for carrying blitz cans. Even if he didn't, I think the jack is too long to get it horizontally in my truck on the rear floor. Leo, Yes, my plans have been to only carry it when it may be needed. Yesterday my tech told me that I could leave it on there all the time if I frequently sprayed the heck out of the moving parts with WD40. He said if/when I need to keep it on there for longer periods (or all the time), he said to put a big plastic trash bag over the tongue end, soak it with spray, then leave the trash bag on there while all the oil drips off. Thanks, Jamie | ||
| Jordan Zadwick (Fade_to_black) Member Username: Fade_to_black Post Number: 46 Registered: 06-2003 |
Hey Jamie, I personally don't think it looks bad at all mounted there, I remember it being talked about before the pics and I had this weird image in my head, but mounted like that, I think it looks good. Now, if it was a red high lift jack, I might have different feelings about it ;). | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 1005 Registered: 05-2003 |
Thanks Jay, Geez, that many posts?? Yikes!! Since I earned the "Senior" status, I try not to look at that section or I feel old!! Glad to hear that location is working for you. Gosh, the walking into it thing was a pita when I had my bike rack on the back. I had lots of people walk into that thing!! My concerns over visibility are for anticipating recovery work in tight places while it's dark. There's already enough danger our there without adding to the situation. A little prevention goes a long way when it comes to safety. Thanks again, Jamie | ||
| Joey (Joey4420) Senior Member Username: Joey4420 Post Number: 582 Registered: 04-2003 |
I would be concerned about the base and the cheap clips that hold it on. As far as making in look girly, have it powder coated purple or pink | ||
| Sergei Rodionov (Uzbad) Senior Member Username: Uzbad Post Number: 324 Registered: 08-2003 |
Dunno. Brushbar is blocking view enough and now there is high-lift.. Also personally i would keep worring that bolts will come loose or pin will fall off and jack will come at me while wheeling.. But i guess you do mostly mud trails and not rocky/steepy ones, so those might be not issues for you. As of making it girly - heh.. You can alway paint it. You can always stick some flower lines in it. | ||
| Greg P. (Gparrish) Senior Member Username: Gparrish Post Number: 1588 Registered: 11-2003 |
I don't think it poses a problem for visibilty as I used to put mine up there and I could see fine. I don't think you have to worry about the bolts breaking when off roading either. What I do think you need to be conscious of is that if you ever have a collision with anyone, that is just an extra added can opener up there to rip them up. If you damage a person or property with it in an acident, you can be sure to get trouble out of it. Also, that is where I would be concerned about the bolts on a daily basis. I only put mine on when I'm doing a trip to minimize the times that it is exposed to possible accidents. Just my opinion of course | ||
| Joseph DeLautre (Mudderducker) New Member Username: Mudderducker Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2004 |
I think it looks fine. I would be more concerned about being rear-ended at high speeds. Those bolts will snap very easily and hurl that 20 pound jack through the windshield. I was faced with this decision too on where to mount mine on my brush bar. The difference is, my brush bar had a nice place to mount in front rather than top. | ||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Senior Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 464 Registered: 08-2003 |
I wouldn't spray it with WD40. Dust/Dirt will stick to the WD40 and cause all sorts of trouble for that jack. You would take it off, and the moving parts would be all gummed up with dirt. I've heard of people pouring a little water on the moving parts DURING USE to temporarilly lubricate, if you need too. That Jack wieghs about 45lbs too... | ||
| Chris Nuzum (Cnuzum) Member Username: Cnuzum Post Number: 106 Registered: 02-2003 |
Also, leavig it on all the time, I would be worried about someone walking off with my Hi-Lift while it's parked around town/in my driveway.Having your car broken into is the worst feeling ever. (speaking from experience). | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Dweb Lounge Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 2530 Registered: 02-2002 |
Trek Outfitters has a rack mount that attachs your hi-lift to the adventure rack. But there are some arguments out there Jamie about whether to mount exterior of the truck / rack or whether or not to keep it in the interior of the truck / rack. | ||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Senior Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 471 Registered: 08-2003 |
I made a set of mounts and put it above my rear door. It's strong, out of the way, easy to get too, centered on the truck, and I have plenty of clearance on the door. I plan on making a bag or something out of canvas, to put over the mechanics for those really dusty trails. It's only up there when I go wheelin.   Matt | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Senior Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 384 Registered: 05-2003 |
Jamie, You could paint the ends with some reflective sparkly paint to help it's visibility. I personally like the jack on the bumper as it further defines the borders of my truck. You could also get osme of those orange poles they put on the bumper ends of snow plow trucks. http://www.pbase.com/image/23098369/original http://www.pbase.com/image/23098371 Makes for a good photo too: http://www.pbase.com/image/25351336 Jamil | ||
| Pugsly (Pugsly) Senior Member Username: Pugsly Post Number: 311 Registered: 11-2002 |
Having the jack easily accessibly is important, and if you don't have a roof rack there are not a lot of other good options. Some folks like the spare tire mount. I have the jack mounted on my brush bar, but lower down. Only problem is that it is the first point of contact with anything, and as a result I now have about a 15-degree bend in the final 7 inches and need to buy a new jack! http://pugsly.bechange.com/ETC/pugsly023.jpg | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 1012 Registered: 05-2003 |
Thanks! When Kyle makes his roof rack mounts, I will be adding those to carry jack on the roof when I know I will have help to get it down and also put it back up there. When Kyle starts making his bumpers again, I have total faith that he will be capable of incorporating something into my new bumper to carry it up front when that will be necessary for me. (After all, one is allowed to have wishful thinking on Saturdays you know ) I have a dumb question. I've looked around trying to find informational/educational info to try to understand and explains the differences, but I haven't found anything that explains this in depth. How do you make your decisions to determine which hi-lift jack you carry? The 48" or the 60"? The red all cast jack or the black cast/steel jack? Thanks in advance, Jamie p.s. I still don't plan to carry the jack full time. I'm not concerned about the bolts. Bill Burke sent me the attachment hardware which my tech installed per his instructions. As you know, Bill is extremely cognizant of safety issues. He also knows my weaknesses so he also factors that into the overall picture. |
